Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Study: Artificial Sweeteners Mess With Gut Bacteria and May Increase Risk of Diabetes

Study: Artificial Sweeteners Mess With Gut Bacteria and May Increase Risk of Diabetes

We have written a great deal about the dangers of artificial
sweeteners. The fact that so much of our population sees these products
as safe alternatives to sugar has made their use ubiquitous in diet
sodas, as well as in many unexpected food sources.
However, recent research has linked the use of three common
artificial sweeteners to changes in gut bacteria which may increase the
risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Ironically, the
avoidance of these type of conditions is the reason that many people
switch to artificial sweeteners in the first place.

The authors of the new study, published in the journal Nature, write:
“NAS [non-caloric artificial sweetener] consumption is considered safe
and beneficial owing to their low caloric content, yet supporting
scientific data remain sparse and controversial. Here we demonstrate
that consumption of commonly used NAS formulations drives the
development of glucose intolerance through induction of compositional
and functional alterations to the intestinal microbiota.”

Experiments in the study were performed with aspartame,
sucralose and saccharin. In mouse studies, researchers found that
transplanting the gut bacteria from mice who had been fed artificial
sweeteners on a regular basis to those who had never been exposed to
artificial sweeteners led to higher blood sugar. Genetic testing found
that gut bacteria was altered by artificial sweeteners, and that these
alterations potentially accounted for the rises in blood sugar.
In fact, aspartame, sucralose and saccharin were all found to alter the blood sugar levels of mice even more than regular sugar.

When the researchers surveyed human subjects who consumed artificial
sweeteners, they found that artificial sweetener intake was indeed
linked to metabolic risk factors, including weight gain. Another
small-scale human study found that for some of the participants,
artificial sweeteners led to changes in gut bacteria and subsequent high
blood sugar, but in others, it did not. Researchers are looking further
into this phenomenon, to explain why some people were affected, but not
others.
Besides the potential metabolic ills outlined by this study,
aspartame, sucralose and saccharin have been linked to many other
dangers. Aspartame,
commonly sold as Equal and NutraSweet, is manufactured from byproducts
of genetically modified E. Coli bacteria, and is associated with side
effects including headaches, blurred vision, depression, hyperactivity,
seizures and hearing loss.Sucralose, which is often sold as Splenda,
has been linked by some research to an increased risk of developing
leukemia. Saccharin, known as Sweet’N Low, was linked to bladder cancer
in animal studies over a decade ago, however, it is still approved by
the FDA.
When it comes to artificial sweeteners, there isn’t a truly safe one
on the market, and what we don’t know may be even more dangerous than
what we do. Instead, try sweetening your desserts and beverages with
real fruit juices, raw honey, raw stevia leaves or organic coconut
crystals – all in moderation, of course.

Your food and drinks will taste great, and you won’t have to worry about risking your health.